Cigarette paper



U d States Patent 'crcaanrm PAPER No Drawing. Application June 17, 1957 Serial No. 666,216 I 4 Claims. 1 (Cl. 131-15) .The present invention pertains to cigarette paperand, more particularly, relates to an additive which will. im-

prove the burning qualities of cigarette paper in addition A to forming desirable flavor and aroma compounds in the smoke upon combustion.

The inability of cigarette paper ash to support significant quantities of enclosed tobacco ash has long plagued the average cigarette smoker. The erratic flaking off and dropping of cigarette ash on clothing and expensive home and oflice furnishings has often exasperated and at times embarrassed the smoker. Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide an additive which may be readily incorporated into cigarette paper and which will strengthen the formed paper ash sheath surrounding the tobacco ash in the course of the smoking process.

A second and well known undesirable property of certain cigarette papers is the inability of the paper and tobacco to remain ignited in the course of the smoking process, particularly where the smoker allows extended periods of time to elapse between pufl s. Accordingly, it is another object of this invention to provide an additive which may be readily incorporated into cigarette paper and which will improve the burning properties of the cigarette, assuring even and continuous combustion.

It is a' still further object of this invention to provide additives for cigarette paper which upon combustion of the paper decompose into flavor and aroma enhancing compounds, thereby increasing the pleasure afforded to the smoker.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an additive for cigarette paper which, in addition to improving the burning properties of the paper and enhancing the aroma and flavor of the tobacco, functions as a fungicidal material.

The above and other objects of this invention will become more apparent from the following description and appended claims.

In accordance with the inventive concepts of this invention, the sodium and potassium salts of volatile, monocarboxylic, flavor-producing, organic acids are added to cigarette paper. The sodium and potassium salts may be added in any ratio between about nine to one and one to nine. The salts may be added to the paper by means of aqueous solutions of the same which are allowed to impregnate the paper until from about 0.25 to 4 percent of the salts based on the weight of the dry paper are impregnated in the same. The dry cigarette paper upon combustion will exhibit constant, even burning, properties and in addition will provide an ash sheath assuring good cigarette ash strength. The products of combustion from the paper will have a pleasing aroma because of the presence in the smoke of a free flavoring acid which is liberated from the sodium and potassium salts during the combustion process.

The organic flavoring acids comprehended within the scope of this invention and from which the sodium and potassium salts are prepared include propionic, butyn'c,

2,886,042 Patented May .12,

. p 2 isobutryic, n-valeric, 3-methylvaleric and those monocarboxylic flavoring acids specifically mentioned in Jones United States Patent No. 2,766,145, dated October 9, 1956, and include those having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms. The sodium in the salt promotes even burning of the cigarette paper, and the potassium insures steady and continuous combustion. Both elements assist in the formation of reinforcement for the paper ash sheath surrounding the tobacco ash and prevent minute quantities of the cigarette ash from flaking OK in an. irregular manner. By varying the amount of potassium salt in the cigarette paper, the rate of burning of the samemay be controlled. a

In addition to the foregoing, nonvolatile sodium and potassium salts of the organic acids provided by this invention will form, upon combustion, the desired flavorproducing acid which is released to the smoke. a

The manner of incorporating the sodium and potassium salts of the desired acid in the cigarette paper may be effected in a number of ways and is not. of critical importance. For example, desired quantities of the salts may be dissolved in Water or other solvent forming a solution which is used to treat the cigarette paper which is subsequently dried. Because of the nonvolatile nature of the sodium and potassium salts at room temperatures, the paper may be prepared well in advance of cigarette formation without danger of losing any of the effectiveness of the salt addition. Any solvent which will not leave an odor or taste in the paper and which will not react with the salt is obviously suitable. The use of solvents more volatile than water may be preferred since the impregnated paper may be dried in a ready manner.

The amount of the sodium and potassium salts added to the cigarette paper as above mentioned generally comprises between about .25 and 4 percent of the dry weight of the paper. The molar ratio of sodium to potassium should be between about 9 to 1 and 1 to 9 in order to obtain proper control of both burning and ashing. The relative quantities of the sodium or potassium salt will, of course, be governed by the property desired in the final cigarette paper product upon combustion. However, both the sodium and potassium salts will provide the same pleasing aroma and flavor resulting from the flavoring acid liberated upon combustion of the treated paper.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention an aqueous solution is prepared containing 5 parts by Weight of potassium propionate and 4 parts. by weight of sodium propionate. The solution is used to impregnate a cigarette paper which upon drying contains 2 percent by weight of the salt. Upon smoking of a cigarette wrapped with it, satisfactory burning and ashing are observed and an aroma of propionic acid is contained within the smoke.

An alternate method of incorporating the desired sodium and potassium salts of the flavoring acids in the cigarette paper comprises dissolving these salts in the initial paper pulp. That is, the salts are incorporated in the paper in the very process of making the same. This latter method possesses the obvious advantage of eliminating subsequent process steps in which the sodium and potassium salts are added to the already formed cigarette paper.

A further benefit imparted to cigarette paper utilizing the provided sodium and potassium salts lies in their fungicidal properties, particularly with respect to the propionates. 'I'he fungicidal properties are characteristic of both the sodium and potassium salts, and they are quite eflective in the concentrations above suggested for use in cigarette paper.

It is thus seen that novel additives for cigarette paper 3 liave beemprevidd; These latter additives comprise the sodiurmand' potassium salts of volatile monocarboxylic flavoring acids which impart desired burning properties to cigarette papers wherebya uniformly burning cigarette produbt-is assured. The providedadditives; in addition, 'upen combustion form an aroma and flavor enhancing acid-"which adds to' 'th'e pleasu're of the smoker. Still -fi1rth'er,' the provided" additives are fungicidal in nature, -thereby "=inh-ibiting"mold -growth in tobacco products pre pared -thiefrin.

-'If-"-a sin'gle' flavor producing acid is desired-in the "smoke, 'bo'th sodium' and potassium salts of that-acid are incorporated into the paper im-"accordance with this i'r'iver'iti'on. liowever if there are'two or more a'cids used, "it is-Po'ssibledduse' the*s'odium -sa1t of one'and' the potassiiiin salt 'of 'the- *other, as will be understood.

It is, of course, obvious that the provided'salt additives; although above described for incorporation in cigarette paper, may,- of course, be incorporated in. other "'pape'rs where the 'aBoVe described burning characteristic flavor or aroma characteristics 'aredesired. This in- 4 vention is to be limited, therefore, only by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette paper having added thereto a mixture of sodium and potassium salts of a volatile, monocarboxylic flavoring acid.

2. A cigarette paper as'recited in claim 1 in which the sodium and potassium salts. comprise .between .25 and 4 percent of the dry weight of the cigarette paper.

3. 1 The-paper recited in claim 1 wherein saidia'cidzhas from 3 to 8"carbon atoms.

4. The paper recited inclaim- 1* wherein 'the'molar ratio of sodium salt to. potassium salt is between about 9 to 1 and about 1 m9.

References Cited inl the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 12,028,552 Low Ian 21, 1936 2,766,145 Jones ...O"ct.9, .1956 2,766,150 Teague Oct; "9, I956 

1. A CIGARETTE PAPER HAVING ADDED THERETO A MIXTURE OF SODIUM AND POTASSIUM SALTS OF A VOLATILE, MONO CARBOXYLLIC FLAVORING ACID. 